Record crowds, record runs at IHRA Texas Nationals

The fifth annual IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals held over the weekend at San Antonio Raceway was a huge success in the eyes of track owners Todd and Judy Zampese.

“I’m just thrilled how everything turned out this weekend,” Todd Zampese said. “We’ve had record crowds and record runs. It doesn’t get much better than this.”

The largest crowd in San Antonio Raceway’s history, estimated at 20,000, attended the races on Saturday night. Friday’s and Sunday’s combined attendance was estimated to be near 10,000.

“This is our biggest crowd that we’ve ever had here,” Zampese said on Saturday night. “We probably have close to 20,000 people here and its standing-room only in some areas.”

The SAR bleachers, which hold 13,000 fans, were completely full on both sides of the track. In addition, fans lined both sides of the drag strip near the barrier fence from the starting line all the way to the shut off area, which is more than a quarter-mile down the track. Some 60 to 100 recreational vehicles were also parked alongside the track with many fans perched on top of them to get a bird’s eye view of the races.

The 15-acre paved pit area was overflowing with 352 different types of drag racing hot rods, and the parking lots were near capacity.

The IHRA-sanctioned event attracted some of the top drivers from across the United States and Canada, including several racers from the San Antonio area who competed in the Sportsman classes. There were 14 Top Fuel dragsters, 11 Top Fuel Nitro Funny Cars, 33 Pro Modifieds, 25 Pro Stocks and nine Alcohol Funny Cars that competed in the Pro classes.

Cool temperatures, low humidity and light winds provided the racers with ideal weather on Friday night. Several records were broken for elapsed time (ET) and speed.

In the Pro Stock class, 11 of the 16 qualifiers broke the previous track speed record Pete Berner set the new Pro Stock track ET record with a 6.382-second pass. Rick Jones set the new Pro Stock track speed record with a 218.69 mph. run.

In Pro Modified, Rick DiStefano set the new ET record with a 6.062-second run. Scott Cannon grabbed the new speed record at 237.34 mph.

In the Alcohol Funny Car division, Rob Atchison set the new track speed record at 246.71 mph, but ended up crashing into the sand pit when he was unable to stop his car at the top end of the track.

Cruz Pedregon established the new ET and speed record in the Nitro Funny Car class after posting a 4.765-second, 321.12 mph run.

Finally, Doug Foley recorded a track speed record in the Top Fuel Dragster division after topping out at 321.27 mph. The previous record was 320.36 mph set by Clay Millican, the driver who Foley beat in the final round to win the event title.

Zampese said the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals will return to San Antonio Raceway in 2007.

“The event is already on the calendar,” Zampese said. “We are already making plans to make it bigger and better for next year’s race.”

This year’s Amalie Oil Texas Nationals was televised by the SPEED channel. A tape-delay broadcast of the race will air Saturday, April 8 at 5 p.m. and again on Saturday, April 15 at 5 p.m.